On Dec. 19th 2008, Hamas rejected the extension of a 6 month cease-fire with Israel. Israel warned that it was not afraid to launch a large-scale military campaign in Gaza. On December 27th 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead with the stated objective of disabling Hamas’ ability to carry out lethal attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials stated that they were prepared for a protracted military campaign to meet their goals, and rejected early international diplomatic efforts to broker a cease-fire.
On the 1st day of the operation, the Israeli Air Force launched a massive air strike, which dropped over 100 tons of explosives on the Gaza Strip. Air strikes continued for 8 days, and attacked approximately 900 Hamas targets, which included their headquarters, command posts, training camps, and weapons stores. On December 28th, air strikes targeted 40 tunnels connecting the Gaza Strip and Egypt, which were used to smuggle weapons, and the Islamic University, which housed Hamas’ weapons research and development center that was working on improving the long-range capability of rockets.
On January 3rd 2009, Operation Cast Lead progressed into its next phase, which involved a large ground force composed of infantry, armored artillery, and intelligence forces entering the Gaza Strip. The objective for the ground forces was to damage Hamas’ land network, disrupt their military build-up, and secure the areas of the Gaza Strip that served as launching grounds for rocket and mortar shells. Ground forces were introduced to act as a supplement to the air force to achieve Operation Cast Lead’s primary objectives. On January 11th 2008, thousands of reserve troops joined the offensive in the Gaza Strip, which pushed closer into Gaza City, Hamas' administrative center.
Israeli ground forces secured areas in the North and South of the Gaza Strip, which were the launching grounds for rocket attacks into Southern Israel, and the epicenter of the tunnel network between Egypt and Gaza. Israeli ground forces surrounded Gaza City, and engaged in fighting on the outskirts, however, did not enter into the heart of the city, which Hamas spokesmen warned would be a graveyard for them. On January 17 2009, after 3 weeks of fighting, which left an estimated 1,200 dead, Israel voted to move forward with a cease-fire, because, according to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, “the goals set at the launch of the operation have been more than achieved.” (1)
(1) “Israel, Hamas hold fire for now” Nidal al-Mughrabi. Reuters. 1/17/09
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